Lineman&#39;s belt



June 24, 1952 c, CHILDERS, SR 2,601,589

LINEMAN S BELT Filed July 25, 1951 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented June 24, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LINEMANS BELT Fred C. Childers, Sr., West Monroe, La.

Application July 25, 1951, Serial No. 238,453

2 Claims. (01. 227-49) The invention relates to improvements in linemens safety belts. The ordinary linemans belt consists of a body belt to which is detachably secured, as by snaps or the like, an outer safety strap adapted to encircle the pole on the side of the pole away from the lineman. This is reasonably effective as long as the lineman is leaning outwardly against the belt, but should the tension on the belt be relaxed, as, for example, where a lineman comes in contact with a live wire, the safety belt is no longer effective. Various means have been proposed for overcoming this objection but none has been designed so far which has been successful in actual practice.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple attachment for a linemans safety belt which will automatically catch and bind the pole the instant any weight is placed upon the belt and thus will effectively prevent the lineman from falling in the event he comes in contact with a live wire.

This object is obtained in accordance with the present invention by providing an inside belt which is adapted to be snapped on to the body belt and which may be secured to the outer safety belt by means of buckles having tongues adapted to penetrate holes in the outer safety belt and hold the attachment in position, and also equipped with rollers which guide a portion of the inner belt so as to pass inside the pole; that is to say, on the same side of the pole as the lineman and on the opposite side of the pole from the outer reach of the outer belt.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing and the following detailed description, in which are set forth an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a-plan view showing the improved safety belt illustrated as applied to a pole which is shown in horizontal section:

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view on a larger scale than Fig. 1 of the left hand portion of the inner safety buckle, including the buckle for attachment to the outer belt, the pole engaging loop being partially broken away;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the right hand portion of the inner safety belt;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the attaching buckle and associated rollers of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the attaching buckle and associated roller of Fig. 3.

My improved safety attachment is adapted to be secured to an ordinary linemans belt which comprises a body belt portion I0 equipped with an adjusting buckle I I and an outer safety belt portion l2 which is adapted to surround a pole or the like I3. The outer safety belt is normally equipped with snaps I4 adapted to engage rings I5 carried by the body belt portion. The outer belt is also normally equipped with an adjusting bluckle I6 for regulating the length of the belt, which buckle is equipped with the usual tongue for engaging in holes in the belt [2. These holes, in accordance with the present invention, extend through a substantial portion of the length of the outer belt so as to permit attachment of the auxiliary safety strap by means of buckles with which said safety strap is equipped, as will be more fully described.

The improved safety attachment comprises a strap preferably of different width than the outer strap [2 so that it can be readily distinguished from the outer strap by feel. This inner strap is equipped with a pair of snap hooks 2!, 2| permitting attachment with the safety device to the rings l5 of the body belt portion Ill. The inner belt 20 is also preferably secured with an adjustable buckle 23 to vary the length of the belt as desired. The safety attachment is equipped with a pair of roller carrying buckles 25 and 26 for attachment to the outer safety belt l2. These buckles include depending lower rollers 30 and 3|, respectively, over which a portion of the inner belt 20 passes to form a holding portion 51 adapted to engage the inner side of the pole and thus automatically grip the same the instant any weight is applied to the belt, thereby preventing the lineman from falling.

The buckles 25 and 26 are of special construction to permit ready attachment to the outer safety belt and also to provide roller supports for the inner and outer belts. As shown, the buckle 25 includes side pieces 21 and 28 and is provided with a central tongue 32 mounted for oscillation on a pivot pin 33 and adapted to engage a hole in the outer belt to hold the buckle and the auxiliary safety attachment in adjusted position with reference to the outer belt. The buckle is also provided with a removable upper roller 35 mounted on a central pin detachably secured within the frame members by means of a nut 36, which roller 35 overlies the outer belt l2 as indicated in Fig. 1.

Similarly, the buckle 26 is provided with a tongue 32 for engagement with a hole in the outer belt and also includes a removable roller 3 35 mounted on a pin 50 secured by a nut 36. As shown, the frame 39 of the buckle 26 is U-shaped and the lower roller 3| is attached thereto by means of a hook 40 which snaps over the roller 3|.

The belt with the improved safety attachment can be put on on the ground and used as the lineman ascends the pole. He can perform all kinds of work while Wearing the belt and then descend the pole without unfastening the safety attachment. However, the instant any weight is applied to the belt the safety attachment catches automatically and binds the pole. The attachment works on rollers and accordingly will not hang up or fail to catch. The lineman can not fall even if he overbalances or becomes unconscious on receiving a shock from a live wire. The auxiliary safety belt attachment may be taken off of one conventional belt and applied to another within a few seconds by simply req ne t cr n t e ad u tm nt bu kle he m me b t, i pre r bl ad us so s t e. a little t ht .f nd 5 29 2 2 than' e u de e so hat t'w l ghten ust on t e a n ie iq Of i t th e The t de e i p e rab y d r ha the inn r belt, wh ena th n man t stingu sh b t een he t o y feelhe n ent on a e desc ibed in d t il for the p rmee 0t illustration bu it will. e obvious h n me qu m dificat w and var a ons may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of he inven i nla m:

1-. In a l neman b t, e, comb nati n with, a

body belt portion having attaching rings, and an outer safety belt portion detachably secured to the rings of the body portion and adapted to encircle the outer side of a pole or the like; of an inner safety belt having means for attachment to the rings of the body belt and buckles for attachment to the outer belt, said buckles including roller means for guiding a portion of the inner belt to encircle the pole. on the opposite side from the outer belt. a

2. In a linemans belt for use in connection with a body belt having attaching rings, and an outer safety belt portion having means for detachably securing .the same to the rings of the body; belt, and being adapted to encircle the outer side of a pole or the like; an inner safety belt having means for attachment to the rings of the body belt, and buckles for attachment to the outer belt, said buckles including roller means for guiding a portion of the inner, belt to encircle the pole on the opposite side from t ou e e RED LD ES,

ee ss N E T D The. following references are of record in the file of this patent: UNITED STATES PATENTS umber Nam 13.3115? 191. 6 Hamilten F b- 3 .9 2

2mee n ieeiew Dee 4 

